CIFRI Awards
As part of ‘Bharat Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ and National Fish Farmers’ Day 2021, the Guwahati Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI) organized an online awareness programme on “Ecosystem-based management for beel fishers of Assam” on 10.07.21 at the Centre in collaboration with the Assam Fisheries Development Corporation (AFDC) Ltd., Guwahati. Over 558 beel lessees, fishers and fishers’ co-operative society members representing 105 beels spread across 20 districts of Assam & AFDC’s field officials participated in the online programme. Dr. D. Debnath, Sr. Scientist, ICAR-CIFRI, Guwahati Regional Centre welcomed the participants and dignitaries. Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore spoke about the significance of the National Fish Farmers’ Day and the efforts made by ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore for providing R&D support to development of beel fisheries of Assam through its Guwahati Regional Centre. Mr. P. K. Hazarika, Project Director & OSD, AFDC Ltd. enumerated the steps taken by the Corporation for maintaining the ecosystems of beels under its control while increasing fish production & income of fishers from these beels under the leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Fisheries Minister, Chairman of AFDC Ltd. and the Additional Chief Secretary, (Mr. Rabi Sankar Prasad, IAS) of Assam. He thanked all of them and also Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI; Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Head, ICAR-CIFRI, Guwahati Regional Centre as well as all the Scientists/ technical and other staff members of the Centre. Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Head, ICAR-CIFRI, Guwahati Regional Centre stated that the average fish production from the beels of Assam increased from 173 kg/ha/yr in 1996-98 to 254 kg/ha/yr in recent years through improving the environmental conditions of the beels in the form of controlling macrophytes, reviving riverine connection, etc. Average fish production rates have further increased to 454 kg/ha/yr in beels practicing supplementary stocking of carp fingerlings with technical support from ICAR-CIFRI. ICAR-CIFRI has recently initiated supplementary stocking programmes in 19 beels of Assam located in 9 districts and pen culture in 5 beels under the leadership of Dr. J. K. Jena, DDG (Fy. Sc.), ICAR, New Delhi and B. K. Das, Director, ICAR–CIFRI, Barrackpore. Sri Jyotish Saikia, Executive Engineer; Sri D. S. Pame, Asst. Project Director; Sri Dwipen Brahma, Sr. Technical Assistant & I/c-Lower Assam Division and Ms. Priyanka Bharali, Junior Administrative Assistant represented AFDC Ltd. in the programme. Dr. S. Yengkokpam, Sr. Scientist; Mr. A. K. Yadav, Dr. P. Das, Dr. S. C. S. Das, Ms. Niti Sharma, Dr. N. S. Singh, Scientists; Mr. B. C. Ray, STO: A. Kakati, STA and research scholars participated in the interactive programme.
